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Homework answers / question archive / Think about gazelles, zebras, antelopes, and other large hooved animals living in herds on the plans of Africa where there are a variety of species of large mammation predators like cheetahs, lions, leopards, hunting dogs, etc
Think about gazelles, zebras, antelopes, and other large hooved animals living in herds on the plans of Africa where there are a variety of species of large mammation predators like cheetahs, lions, leopards, hunting dogs, etc. Visualize that you are a member of one of those prey species. Explain about the antipredator mechanisms you would use to avoid being caught and killed by these predators.
Now pretend you areone of the African predators above:
Long term food choice exists in a continuum between pure specialists on one end and complete generalists on the other end. Where does your diet fall on this continuum?Explain your answer.
Explain the feeding adaptations that you would use to capture and kill one of these large hooved mammals.
Larged hooved animals have several physiological and behavioral adaptations to predation in open plain regions such as the African plains. Their large, hard hooves serve as weapons and allow for travel over rough terraine. Many ungulates also have large horns to be used in defense. Other species utilize warning systems, either visual (white tails lifted when predator is spotted) or auditory (grunts etc.). Behavioral adaptation include travel in large herds and collective protective behavior towards young (such as circling calves). Stampeding is often an effective means for herd survival even though individual members may be lost.
In the situation of the African plains the ideal predator would be a generalist with some specialized predation skills for different kinds of organisms. Because a successful hunt could be few and far between it is advantageous to be able to hunt a multitude of prey. Speed must be balanced with strength in order to catch and bring down large hooved prey.
Predator adaptation would include pack behavior whereby multiple predators cooperate to bring down a large prey. Many predators are adapted to short bursts of speed to catch isolated animals as well as strong jaw muscles that allow them to latch on to their prey and bring them down. Sharp claws facilitate severing of Achille's tendons and heavier predators can use their weight in jumping to break spinal columns. Keen senses of smell, hearing and smell are possessed by predators to locate their prey as well as problem solving intellectual skills to devise trapping and hunting parties.
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